Yesterday at approximately noon PST, two bombs exploded at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. At the time I write this, three people have been confirmed dead, including an 8 year old child, and over 180 were hurt as a result of the blast. Our prayers are for all of those affected.

As with Newtown, CT, there are always be questions as to how something like this could happen. Why are people filled with such hate? Why are people so intent on hurting others at all costs? Why didn’t God prevent this tragedy from happening?

There are no good explanations.

What is clear is that God gave man free will and the unfortunate ramifications are that some people use their will to do good and others to do evil. Each person will respond in kind to the decisions that they make on Earth, however, the consequences of evil are felt by us all, including the innocent.

However, for every malevolent action that one person commits, there are a multitude of benevolent actions that occur every day without the media coverage attached to it. Even in the midst of this tragedy, first responders didn’t run away from the blast, but rather ran towards the danger to help those who were affected. These acts of heroism reflect an inherent quality within us, that at our core we want to reflect the image of our divine creator.

The finest parts of our humanity are displayed in times of crisis. When we find ourselves under the dark cloud of worry, fear, anxiety, and danger, our benevolent actions become the silver lining. Especially as Christian people, it is our hope in the power of Christ that gives us the strength to be able to conquer any and all negativity that tries to come our way.

Yes, humanity is not perfect. I understand that there is sin everywhere around us. Yet, as the Bible says in Romans 5:20 “…but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” It’s in moments like these that the goodness of God is realized. God doesn’t condone these actions. He isn’t happy that so many innocent people were hurt. Yet he is the master of turning negatives into something positive. He is the consoler. He is the Prince of Peace! We have faith that his grace will help the people of Boston recover and understand that God hasn’t abandoned us, but is waiting for us to respond to his invitation of salvation.